Biographies of Participants

Biography of the Composer:

Kevin F. Becker

After 31 rewarding years as a Manager and Project Manager at International Business Machines, Kevin is moving towards a 2nd career as a Composer by studying, composing and performing music from multiple genres and traditions. Primary interests rest with classical, traditional and modern compositions and techniques. Kevin’s music career has primarily focused on performing traditional music and contributing to that tradition by composing songs that reflect our life and times. In over 30 years, performing and composing music has been very enriching and has afforded Kevin the opportunity to share music with others in many ways. Some of these ways include over 1,200 performances of music throughout the Northeast, composition of over 250 songs as well as works for piano, string quartet, wind ensemble and choirs. Kevin has released five CD recordings and had the pleasure of sharing the stage with such noteworthy artists as Pete Seeger, Jay Unger, Utah Phillips, Harry Chapin, Sandy and Caroline Paton, Linda Russell, The Bellamy Brothers, and The New Riders of the Purple Sage.

RECORDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Wizmak Independent Music Label
— Lots of Love, 1985, 10 original songs
— Reach out and Catch the Wind, 1993, 7 original songs, 1 adaptation, 2 traditional songs

Hudson Valley Folk Music Independent Label
— Pass It On, 1999, 14 traditional songs, 1 original song
— This Hudson River Valley, 2001, 5 original songs, 4 contemporary songs, 6 traditional songs

Hudson Valley Folk Music Independent Label
— Mass For Regina Coeli, 2006, Mass setting for SATB and piano/organ

PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Kevin was one of Founders of the Hudson Valley Folk Guild, Inc. in July of 1979. The Hudson Valley Folk Guild is a member run non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting community interest in folk music, contributing to community service through entertaining at benefits for worthwhile causes and giving its performing members opportunities to perform their music. The Hudson Valley Folk Guild has over 523 members and consists of three chapter organizations in Dutchess and Ulster Counties in New York State governed by a Board of Directors. Kevin has served as a Director in several capacities including that of Executive Director

PERFORMANCE CREDITS:

Great Hudson River Revival................Croton, NY
Old Songs Festival............................. Guilderland, NY
McKenna Theatre...............................SUNY, New Paltz, NY
Mount Gulian Heritage Week .............Beacon, NY
Summer Scholars Program ............... Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY
The Center For Performing Arts......... Rhinebeck, NY
Howland Center ................................. Beacon, NY
Bardavon 1869 Opera House............. Poughkeepsie, NY
Mid-Hudson Civic Center ................... Poughkeepsie, NY
Girl Scouts 80th Anniversary ............. Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck, NY
Sing Out! 30th Anniversary ............... Bardavon, Poughkeepsie, NY
Hudson River Sampler....................... National Public Radio, Albany, NY
Northeast Folk Festival ..................... National Public Radio, Albany, NY
Santa on the Hudson ........................ Vassar Institute, Poughkeepsie, NY
Legends Weekend ............................ Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, NY
St. Nicholas Weekend ....................... Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Eleanor Roosevelt’s Valkill ................ Hyde Park, NY
Wallace Center ……………………..... Hyde Park, NY
Vassar College, Skinner Hall ……….. Poughkeepsie, NY

Nicole Golay

Nicole Golay, began her musical path on an organic farm in Idaho. She holds degrees from California Institute of the Arts (BA oboe) and Yale University (MM oboe). As a soloist, Nicole has performed with Madera Vox, Neue Bach Band, Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra, Yale Chamber Players and Kairos. She has performed at Lincoln Center, Banff Centre for the Arts, Japan America Theater and even atop a raised platform in Times Square. Nicole has taught at the University of Virginia, Brooklyn Conservatory, Dutchess Community College, as well as maintaining a private studio. Her principal teachers include Allan Vogel and Ronald Roseman. Nicole finds inspiration in gardening and hiking the Sawtooth range of the Rocky Mountains. For more up to date information please visit: www.maderavox.org and www.blackbearshudsonvalleytale.org

Jesse Hays

Jesse Hays has been playing the violin since the age of seven (now a sophmore at Kingston High) and has participated in Stringendo, the Flying Fiddlers, and school orchestras. She also participates during various times of the year on holidays at her temple performing for the younger children as well as the entire congregation. She plays mainly classical but has performed in the young players series at the Poughkeepsie chapter of the Hudson Valley Folk Guild as well.

Sheila Hays

A performer at the Kingston chapter of the Hudson Valley Folk Guild,Sheila plays a variety of instruments including mandolin, flute, piano, guitar and harmonium. It is only in recent years that she began to learn to “read” music, choosing to study flute in the classical tradition, toward realizing a lifelong dream. She also participates as flutist at ceremonial services for Temple Emanuel in Kingston.

Eric Ortner

“Eric Ortner has been performing on the violin for over thirty years. He started practicing under the Suzuki method at the age of three. This early relationship with music has created a long-lasting love affair with the instrument and all genres of harmony that has remained with him for the entirety of his life.

He started studying violin under the guidance of Margaret Setviet in Buffalo, New York. Mr. Ortner’s education then continued under the direction of Michael Hobart. He moved to New York’s Hudson Valley region in 2001 and has been performing and recording with various groups and musicians in this area since then. One of the most prominent ensembles is St. Marks Consort, with whom Eric Ortner performed for five years. This group has functioned as the house band at the New York Renaissance Fair in various incarnations for the past 25 years. While in St. Marks Consort, Eric was recorded on two CDs released by iWaz music.

Eric performs in multiple styles of music including classical, rock, blues, jazz, country and bluegrass. He does not limit himself to violin, but considers himself a specialist in string instruments in general. He has performed and recorded on guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, Baglama Saz (Turkish long neck lute) and Bazouki (Greek long neck lute). He has also studied brass instruments and can play French horn and trumpet. Mr. Ortner’s current musical endeavors are primarily focused on performing classical music at weddings and special events. Past recordings are available at his website www.HarmoniousMusic.com

Dan Schiavetta

>Dan Schiavetta lived in the area during the 1980’s and has shared the Folk Guild stage with Dave Beckwith, Kevin Becker, Carol Sheehan, Tim Sheehan, The Hamburger Brothers, The Ramapo Fault String Band, Bruce Morrisson, Peter Crispell, Andrew Ferraro, Gary Strait, and others. He plays string bass, electric bass, cello, guitar, and fiddle. He also writes and performs his own songs, sometimes with catastrophic results.

Frank Tetler

Frank Tetler has been a member of the Folk Guild ever since its first Coffee House at the church in Poughkeepsie, in 1979. A self-taught fiddle, mandolin and banjo player, he is probably best known as one of The Hamburger Brothers, who performed often at Folk Guild events. As a member of the Ramapo Fault String Band, he has played at venues throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond. Besides performing on violin in the Folk Symphony, Frank will join current and former band members and Folk Guild friends to do a set as the Hudson Valley Ramblers in the Friday evening show.